Converter.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

R. BAGGALEY.

CONVERTER.

APPLICATION 11.51) 001230, 1906.

2 sums-sum 1.

UNITED STATES RALPH BAGGALEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONVERTER;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12,19o7.

Application filed October 30.1906- Serial No. 341.338.

ll '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH BAGGALEY, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Converters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal elevation of a converter with the lid of the wind-box partially cut away in order to show a number of twyerentrances towhich my'present invention has been applied. Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-section of Fig. l, on the line III I.

My invention is an improvement on the apparatus illustrated and described in United States Patent No. 830,040, dated September 4th, 1906.

The fact has been developed by test, that if a basic lining be utilized say in the ordinary, sheet steel cbpper converter as commonly used, that it is only a comparatively short time until such basic lining will slough off and be entirely dissolved. These basic linings are very expensive, and unless some outside influence therefore be exerted for their protection, the cost of renewing same becomes so great as to seriously militate against the economy of their use.

The heavy metal blocks, illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 830,040, dated September 4th, 1906, and inother patents granted to me, were designed to protect the interior lining against ultimate destruction through corrosion. In my tests I have used apparatus embodying these heavy metal blocks for a period of eight months in daily and in almost continuous service and I thus found, by test, that these heavy blocks did protect the basic lining of the vessel, as expected, during the period stated, so'that at the end of eight months of service the lining, generally speaking, was still intact and serviceable. My tests showed that when these heavy metal walls were protected by an interior basic lining, that the results generally speaking were entirely satisfactory.

On one occasion when blister copper had formed and when the twyer-punchers had failed to do their work properly,,so that a mass of congealed copper formed on the, interior wall of the lining, at the twyer entrances,

the subsequent punching and opening of these twyers had the effect of somewhat loosening the basic lining and of separating it from a close contact with the interior metal wall. As a consequence the blast in large volume 'escaped between the lining and the outside metal walls and entered the converter at the top of the lining on one side of the vessel. It so happened that at the same time, while experimenting with a force of inexperienced workmen, that the vessel had been overcharged with matte so that the level of the molten bath was above the top of the interior basic lining. This combination resulted in a converting action against the side wall of the heavy, steel casting top or nose of the vessel. Within an hour's time this convertingaction resulted in dissolving a solid steel casting sixteen inches thick, so that the molten matte overflowed through the orifice thus formed, onto the twyer-box on the outside of the vessel.

Even when using the interior basic lining; at or near the blast entrance a steady destruction of the-lining at this one point occurred. The lining at all other points of the vessel lasted apparently withoutinjury for a period of eight months and it was still good and servvicinity of the blast entrance; indicating that a greater cooling influence at this one portion of the vessel was necessary in order to protect the lining from destruction. i

Unsuccessful efforts have been made in the past to utilize basic linings in converters that were made in the ordinary way, of steel shells. The heavy steel blocks will exercise a restraining or protecting influence on the basic lining of that vessel; which safeguarded it in a manner almost equal to the cooling influence of outside water-jackets: with the one exception of that portion of the vessel in the immediate vicinity of the blast entrance, and in order to utilize a basic lined vessel composed of heavy metal blocks it is essential to success to materially increase the cooling and the protecting influence on thelining at this. one point.

It is my belief that the destruction ofthe lining in this vessel at the blast entrance only, is not alone due to increased heat in the matte, through oxidation, at this one point, or through a mechanical wash and grinding of the molten matte through the violent cbullition matte, but that the situation is aggravated by twyerpunching and by the presence of joints in the masonry wall at this portion of the lining. This explanation however will notaccount for the trouble entirely. It was quite manifest that a greater corrosion occurred in the lining at the twyer entrance alone, than at any other portion of the lining. I

My present invention is designed to correct this trouble and to make it possible, in future, to economically utilize apparatus composed of heavy metal blocks so that the lining at the blast entrance, or in other words,

quite as long as it has been proven to last at other por tions of the interior of the vessel.

Referring now to the drawings: 3, 3, 3, 3 represent water-cooled twyer blocks, which back up the lining at or near each twyer entrance. These twyer blocks are provided with one or more water pipes 4, each preferably supplied with an adjusting cock so that the flow of water through the pipes may be regulated at cise a. much greater cooling influence at the rear or outside portion of the lining and to increase or decrease iceable at that time, excepting only in the immediate i at this point of the entering blast .while acting on the 4 will. By my present invention I am enabled to exerat the twyer ends on the interior" of the vessel will last this cooling influence at will. In this manner- 1 can regulate and place a limit on the corrosive action on the lining at this point of the vessel at will.

5 in Fig. 2 illustrates a large special block, which constitutes a portion of the interior lining, and made of such size that the twyer can pass through the center of it, to the interior of the vessel, without any broken joints in the masonry. The twyer orifice is preferably made of a seamless brass tube 6, in order to protect this block against breakage or wear from the punching bars. 'This heavy block prevents. mechanical fracture of the lining while punching and being-a solid block of basic material its conductivity is increased and the cooling influence of the watefilolock is therefore augmented over that of a masonry wall made up of smaller pieces. i v

Many modifications will naturally suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departingfrom the spirit of my invention, since What I claim is:-

lQAl copper converter com'posai of a refractory lining, heavy metal blocks forming the exterior walls, and a water-cooled twyer block inset into the metal blocks. and against the outer surface of said lining adjacent to and around the twyer orifice; substantially as described.

2. A copper converter composed of atrefractory lining and having metal blocks forming "the exterior walls, :1 twyer block forming a backing for said lining adjacent to the twyer entrance, a plurality of separate cooling passages in said block, and means for individually controlling the circulation through the dilferent passages; substantially as described;

'3. In a copper converter, a basic lining havinga twyer entrance formed through the central portion of a single,

RALPH BAGGALEY.

Witnesses:

ELSIE M. HQPLEB, FREDERICK H. DAVIS. 

